


Haunted Eyes

by queenpresident



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: M/M, Poor Thomas, it's short just go with it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 08:34:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13520538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenpresident/pseuds/queenpresident
Summary: If anyone asked about the haunted look in Thomas’ eyes, he’d give them the same fake smile he gave everyone and say he was fine.





	Haunted Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> I spent the weekend watching the rest of Downton Abbey so I felt the need to write something.  
> I don't have a beta so all the mistakes are mine.

Thomas wondered if the pain in his chest would ever go away or if it would become a dull ache that he’d learn to live with. Maybe, over time, it would disappear completely but it was too soon to tell. It was too soon to hope for anything as he sat alone in the room, trying to choke back tears that threatened to rip him apart.

 

He shouldn’t be reacting like this. It wasn’t like he’d known Lieutenant Courtenay for years when in reality it was less than a month. They had only spent a few weeks together and now Thomas was close to falling apart. Maybe that’s what love did to people, not that Corporal Barrow was an expert if his past was any clue. He  _ thought  _ he was an expert. Until Philip ripped out his heart. Since then he wasn’t as confident.

 

But with Lieutenant Courtenay it was different. Thomas wanted to tell him so many things, about his past, his hand, everything. He wanted to  _ know _ everything, too. All Thomas knew about him was that he went to Oxford and he had a brother. Now it was too late. Now it didn’t matter.

 

The room Thomas sat in wasn’t very far from the room he found Lieutenant Courtenay in. He knew he wouldn’t make it back to his own room before he broke down. While he prided himself in keeping his emotions in check, when it came to Edward, it was easier to let his emotions out.

 

The image of his body was stuck in Barrow’s mind. He could still see him lying there, almost as if he was sleeping. If only he was sleeping. That would’ve been better. Then Thomas would’ve been able to sort out his feelings as he got to know the young Lieutenant. He didn’t have that option now.

 

Two weeks. He knew Lieutenant Courtenay for two weeks. There was no point in trying to dwell on it for long. He had to move on sooner or later. And the sooner he shut his emotions down, the sooner he went back to his old, cold-hearted self, the sooner he could move on.

 

If anyone asked about the haunted look in Thomas’ eyes, he’d give them the same fake smile he gave everyone and say he was fine.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
